Firstborn
by Dawn-Of-Indescribable-Colors
Summary: Draco Malfoy is brought into the world via desperate measures. HOUSE CUP COMPETITION ENTRY: ROUND ONE. Lucius/Narcissa ONE-SHOT.


**Here we go! My entry for the first round of Cheeky Slytherin Lass's House Cup Competition. The prompts were as follows: **

**1. Pairing: LuciusNarcissa, BartyRegulus, or AliceBellatrix**

**2. Quote (to be used as inspiration ONLY, not as part of the fic itself): "Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes they win."- Stephen King**

**3. Action: A character must forget something important**

**4. Emotion: Relieved**

**5. Word: Heartbeat**

**6. Dialogue: "That changes nothing."**

**7. Object: Broken quill**

**I quite like this one. It's like nothing I've ever written before. Listen to:**

**Riverbed - Over the Ocean**

**Enjoy :)**

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_**~ Firstborn ~**_

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_Lucius,_

_ It's happening. Come at once. I would've sent a Patronus, though I feared interception. She is calling out for you, and no charm I have used is calming her down. If she remains so tense, the child may be killed._

_Make haste._

_M. N._

Nott's panic was evident by the nearly illegible scrawl alone. But if that wasn't enough, prior to the word "charm," a massive ink stain bled through the parchment, indicating he had likely snapped his quill.

There was no excuse for the way Lucius stood there, staring at it for a least a solid minute. His thin, callused fingers trembled at the parchment's corners, curling them, and the words began to blur before his eyes.

_Move, Lucius, _came the sharp voice of sense. _She needs you._

He swallowed thickly, feeling his blood pump through his veins; feeling his pulse hammer beneath his ear and at his wrist.

_Thump-thump. Thump-thump. Thump-thump._

Between each beat, he could swear he heard the cries of his child. Of his boy...

_Lucius, __move__. _

That was that.

Letting the letter fall from his hands, he reached into his pocket to clutch his wand tightly, feeling its familiar weight-its natural, smooth texture-and apparated with a resounding crack.

Hurried footsteps rumbled across the floor above him, creaking the floorboards as they darted this way and that through the room his love lay writhing within.

He took the stairs two at a time.

"Lucius, thank _Merlin," _said a breathless voice. Malcolm Nott stood in the doorway, blocking the view but not the sound of Narcissa going into labor, his hands soaked in scarlet. And when Cissy gave another horrible, pealing scream, Lucius shoved past him without a word.

There she lay, splayed out on her back, her hands bunched up in the sheets. Her beautiful, snow-white hair was plastered to her forehead with sweat and darkened by the dim lighting in the room...

And the sheets were drenched in red.

Lucius flew to her side, dropping to his knees without pause and taking her delicate, sallow face in his palms. "Cissy..." he whispered urgently, "Cissy, my love, I'm here."

Narcissa thrashed as another contraction struck, eyes still squeezed shut in agony.

"_Cissy."_ He spoke louder. "Hear me, love. Hear my voice."

Yet, still, she did not look.

"The contractions are mere seconds apart," Malcolm informed, coming to the foot of the bed and placing a gentle hand on her swollen belly. "The child is coming, Lucius. It's coming now."

Malfoy's eyes snapped back to him. "And the blood?" he whispered. "What of the blood?"

Nott face hardened, jaw tensing as he tilted his chin up. "It is as it was with Daniella. She bleeds internally."

Lucius's eyes widened, the word "no," escaping his mouth without his knowledge, merely a breath. Daniella Nott had died in childbirth not ten months previous.

"No," he said again with more conviction. "No, Malcolm. There must be something you can do."

The broad man straightened up, wringing his bloodied hands together. "I can administer the Murtlap Essence, to slow some of the pain-"

"That changes nothing!" Lucius roared. _"No_, Malcolm. Give her something to save her life!"

"Lucius, there _is_ nothing-"

"Don't tell me such, damn you! Don't you dare tell me I cannot save my wife!"

Narcissa released another gut-wrenching cry, arching her back up off the spring mattress and wracking wildly.

"Cissy-" He leapt up onto the bed beside her, cradling her torso in his arms and attempting to settle her back upon the cushioning. "Cissy, can you hear me?"

She screamed again. "Ah! Lu-Lucius! W-Where-where is_ Lucius!?" _

Frantically, Malfoy pressed his lips against the shell of her right ear, murmuring quietly to her. "I'm right here, my love. Right here. Cissy, hear my voice. I have you, my angel. I have you..."

Her eyes shot wide open, pale blue electrified with terror and pain. "L-Lucius?

He pulled back, long, blond hair shrouding them like a curtain. "Cissy? Look at me, Cissy."

Their eyes met.

"Lucius..." she breathed, a minimal essence of calm channeled within her voice. "You're here..."

"I'm here," he confirmed, gently brushing the hair away from her forehead. Her pupils were the size of pinpricks, skin stretched over her bones like tissue paper, and slowly but surely, she grew more and more pale.

"L-Lucius..." she croaked, stretching out a trembling hand. He took it eagerly in both of his.

"Yes, my love?"

"I'm...I'm frightened."

Lucius squeezed her fingers as tightly as he dared. "Don't be frightened. Don't be frightened. We will overcome this. I swear to you."

"I am frightened for our child, Lucius. For our son." The rasp of her voice grew frantic. "I do not...I do not-" and she broke off with a sob. "I do not want to bring him into this world. The prophecy! I...I..."

A contraction seized her and she lost her words again, fingernails digging into Malfoy's wrist.

"Give her the Murtlap, Nott!" he barked. "Give it to her now!"

Malcolm rushed to the corner of the room, hurriedly collecting the ingredients and beginning to manually grind them to a paste.

"Stay with me, darling," he cooed, petting her cheek. "It will pass. Shh...it will pass."

Nott appeared behind him, offering Lucius the bowl of Murtlap which he quickly set upon the mattress, dipping his fingers in.

"Open your mouth for me, angel," he beckoned, stroking her temple with his thumb. "This will help the pain."

Obediently, Narcissa parted her thin, pretty lips, and he slipped his fingers inside, allowing her to suck on them for a moment.

"How much does she need?" he asked over his shoulder.

"Not much. The effects should be instantaneous."

And seconds later, true to his word, Narcissa went limp on the bed, a heavy sigh whispering from her chest.

"Nott..." Lucius said quietly, his voice hard as stone, "I will do what I must. I will do...what I have to."

It seemed to take a moment for his words to sink in.

Malcolm was silent.

And then another contraction shook through Cissy, and the time for contemplation was up.

"It's mad, Lucius," Nott warned, once again placing his hand on her belly, feeling the contractions as they occurred. "You could fail. You could kill the child...and yourself, not to mention Cissy."

"I will not let her die," was all he said, his tone eerily calm.

Narcissa convulsed violently, and Nott jumped into action, dropping to his knees and spreading her legs. "It's coming, Lucius. Now or never."

Breathing gone shallow suddenly, Lucius wrenched up his sleeve, exposing the powdery blue veins of his inner forearm and placing his wand to the juncture.

"Take my hand, my love," he murmured, and Cissy opened her eyes once more. There was confusion there, but so loyal was she to her husband that she obeyed without question.

"You'll have to start pushing, Cissy," Malcolm said. "On my count."

"_Ánimam meam ad te divisus,"_ Lucius began, so quietly neither of them would be able to hear. The tip of his wand glowed scarlet, illuminating the muscles within his arm, and at once, he felt the tug...

The tug on his life source.

"_Ánimam meam ad te divisus,"_ he repeated, just as he heard Malcolm call out, "Three, two, one-_push, _Cissy."

His wife made a strangled noise, hips lifting off the bed again as she squeezed his hand with the strain of it.

"_Et salvos eos. Ligare nos simul saecula."_

His wand flared brightly, catching Malcolm's attention. He quickly forced his eyes back to Cissy. "Three, two, one-push! Very good. Very good, Cissy. Just a few more."

"_Ligare nos simul saecula."_

With that, the incantation was complete, and the gentle tug he felt became a sudden, brutal ripping. A muffled noise of pain wrenched from his throat, hissing through his teeth as he tried to remain strong for Cissy.

And half his life began to pour out through his veins...into hers.

"Again, Cissy. Push!"

She screamed.

"Again!"

She screamed and screamed and screamed.

"One more! Come on! PUSH!"

Lucius roared as the final tear shook through him, dragging away half his strength...half his existence.

"LUCIUS!" Narcissa shrieked, and then her body dropped. Dropped as if a massive weight had been thrown upon it.

And Lucius heard the first cry of his son.

He slumped over Cissy's torso, feeling as if the spell had taken not only half, but every drop of life within him.

"It's a boy," Malcolm whispered, and another cry serenaded them.

"I knew it would be." Lucius could barely move his mouth. "Is he well?"

"He's perfect, Lucius."

Though it felt as though it took all the strength in the world, Malfoy forced himself to his feet, waiting for a moment before he opened his eyes.

There he was.

His son.

Bathed in red and squirming, the little thing shook his head back and forth, toothless mouth wide as he wailed to no end. Blood glued what was sure to be platinum blond hair to his forehead, and his miniature hands stretched out toward nothing, fighting against Malcolm's careful hold.

"Give him here," Lucius croaked.

Nott stared at him, hesitating, concern in his eyes, and then gently handed the infant over.

And there was something to it.

Something incredible about_ feeling_ the true weight in his arms.

_This is my son, _a quiet voice in his head whispered.

The moment the child was placed against him, his cries ceased...and his small, baby eyes opened up wide. Lucius's eyes. He had Lucius's eyes.

_This is my son._

"Nott...get some Dittany."

"What?"

"_Dittany! _Dittany for Narcissa!"

Once again, Malcolm rushed to the corner and began furiously mixing ingredients. Cissy was moaning quietly where she lay.

And Lucius was just staring.

Staring at his firstborn.

Unbidden, a tear escaped down the elder Malfoy's cheek, falling onto his son's soft, rosy lip.

And he did what Malfoys do best.

He lashed out.

"You!" he roared, so loudly he could swear he saw Nott give a start in the corner. "You-you _spoiled _little selfish _brat!" _

The child started to cry.

"You could've killed your _mother! _How dare you!? How-"

"Lucius," came a quiet, raspy whisper. "Do not address our son in such a way."

Malfoy turned wide, disbelieving eyes upon Narcissa, who was looking at him as sternly as she could in her state. Nott was applying the Dittany between her thighs to stop the bleeding, but already, Lucius could see the color his spell had brought back to her face.

"Cissy..." he breathed.

"I feel you, Lucius," she said. "I...I_ feel_ you. In me. What did you do?"

He swallowed harshly, trying to regain control of himself, and managed hoarsely, "What was necessary."

"_Lucius..."_ she began forcefully.

"I see no difference, Cissy," he murmured. "I have always felt you."

And, mercifully, her eyes softened at that.

"Our son," she said, suddenly pushing herself up to a sitting position. Both he and Nott jerked forward, but she waved them off with the sort of casual aristocratic gesture that was familiar. That was safe.

Lucius felt the relief wash over him in waves.

"Let me see our boy." She stretched out her frailly thin arms.

Swallowing once more, he slowly approached, seating himself deftly beside her and resting the child within her cradled arms.

Tears welled up in her eyes immediately.

"_Merlin..."_ she breathed. "He has your eyes."

"Yes..." It was barely a whisper. The small thing had stopped crying again, recognizing the touch of his mother, no doubt.

"He will be so handsome." Narcissa smiled weakly. "Perhaps even as handsome as you."

His returned smile was somewhat lacking.

And Cissy noticed, of course. Her incredible omniscience had been one of the many reasons Lucius had dropped to one knee.

"You're worried," she remarked.

"Of course I am worried," he snapped, not meaning for his voice to sound so harsh. "You know of the Prophecy as well as I. You said so yourself."

"He is not that boy, Lucius," she said, determination in her tone. "I see now that I hold him in my arms. I am sure of it."

"The Dark Lord will not be."

"Then it is simple, my love." Cissy removed one hand from the child to place it against her husband's cheek. "We must protect him."

A small, yet real, smile curved his lips then, and he glanced up at her with solemn eyes. "Were you not so strong, I do believe the weight of this world would've broken me by now."

Brushing her thumb across his lips, she replied with, "Were you not so strong, I do believe I would be dead."

He took her hand then, a strangled noise escaping his throat as he pressed her palm hard against his skin, wanting to feel it within his very _bones. _

"Never," he whispered. "Not while I draw breath."

And he leaned forward to capture her mouth in a kiss so passionate and so bruising, a part of him was certain it wasn't good for her weakened state.

The rest of him didn't give a damn.

When he pulled away, Malcolm's heavy hand clapped down on his shoulder. "Congratulations, my friend. He is perfect."

Lucius got quickly to his feet, turning to face the elder Nott. There was a sadness in the man's eyes. No doubt a mourning for his lost love.

A sorrow that Lucius quickly pushed away.

"Thank you, Malcolm. For all you have done. I owe you my very life."

Malcolm released a breathy chuckle. "Nonsense, Malfoy. Nonsense." He turned to Narcissa, dipping into a smooth, respectful bow, and then muttered, "I'll leave you to it," and was gone.

"Lucius?" Narcissa cooed softly, her voice affected as she looked upon their son with loving eyes. "What shall we name him?"

He glanced back over his shoulder, getting one good look at the boy's gray, calculating gaze, and knew at once.

"Draco..." he breathed. "Name him Draco."

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